Unruly's parent firm Tremor snaps up Spearad for US$14.7m

Unruly's parent firm Tremor International has acquired Spearad, a global CTV video ad server and media management platform, for US$14.7 million. Following the acquisition, Spearad founders Erhard Neumann and Mark Thielen will join the Tremor leadership team. 

Spearad’s ad server technology will be integrated into Tremor’s Unruly SSP, enabling CTV header bidding, channel inventory and ad pod management, complementing the company’s existing robust end-to-end technology stack, which also includes the Tremor Video DSP. Founded in 2019 in Germany, Spearad's customer base spans Asian, the US and Europe, including Adobe Advertising Cloud, SpotX, PubMatic, and Epsilon.. Its tech platform and proprietary data assets enable publishers to centrally manage both direct-sold and programmatic campaigns and improve ad pod monetisation.

According to Tremor, US$11.0 million is being satisfied from the company’s existing cash reserves, and the remaining US$3.7 million is being satisfied by the issue of 370,000 ordinary shares of NIS 0.01 in the company, subject to transfer and other contractual restrictions to be released gradually over a three-year period. Tremor declined to comment on MARKETING-INTERACTIVE's queries.

Tremor's CEO Ofer Druker said the company's consistent, primary focus on video and CTV has proven prescient in today’s market, leading to meaningful growth across its exchange and putting the company ahead of platforms only recently evolving from display. "The acquisition further strengthens our leadership position as a video-first end-to-end platform, which provides real efficiencies for global advertisers, media companies and broadcasters in an ecosystem increasingly centered on CTV," he added.

Neumann said: "With CTV viewership reaching an all-time high, this integration couldn’t come at a better time. We look forward to our partnership with the Tremor team and working on the next generation of features that we believe will ultimately propel the industry forward." 

This latest acquisition comes a year after Unruly was snapped up by Tremor at the start of 2020. Following the acquisition, Unruly promoted Alex Khan to group MD, international to lead commercial activity across Asia Pacific while overseeing all UK operations at the same time. In February, Unruly also rolled out Tr.ly, a data-driven digital creative studio to offer advertisers with a full range of video creative solutions across all screens.

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Photo courtesy: 123RF

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